BJP MP Pratap Simha accuses CM Siddaramaiah of 'targeting' his family
Bengaluru (PTI): BJP MP Pratap Simha on Sunday alleged that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is out to finish his family only to 'politically rehabilitate' his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah.
He claimed that the Chief Minister is targeting him to pave way for his son to win the Lok Sabha elections next year.
Pratap Simha was reacting to his brother Vikram Simha's arrest in connection with the felling of a large number of trees in a farm in Hassan to grow ginger. Vikram was arrested on Saturday evening and was taken to the hospital for a medical check-up today.
"My brother's name was not there in the FIR earlier. He wasn't even absconding. Yet, he was arrested," the Mysuru-Kodagu BJP MP told reporters here.
Simha further claimed that the CM will not stop with the arrest.
"For your (Siddaramaiah) son's political future, you will make all the efforts to trample Pratap Simha. You will defame me and drag my family into this. You are trying to frame my brother," the MP alleged.
Simha said the Chief Minister is trying to rehabilitate his son Yathindra who vacated his Varuna seat for his father during the assembly elections in May 2023.
"For his son's future, Siddaramaiah is out to finish my family. Please arrest my elderly mother and sister also but I want to tell you that the people of Mysuru-Kodagu are with me," the MP said.
Rejecting Simha's allegation, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said action would follow when trees worth crores of rupees are felled illegally.
The state Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara too discarded Simha's charges saying those who violated the law have to face the consequences.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
